Thursday,6-30-2011, I rode up to Ryan Oklahoma, after making a stop in Byers Texas to pick up TATU, to see BANDIT. BANDIT has a motorcycle shop and he was going to replace my handlebar bushings, replace my front brakes and put a new tire on my Harley. Scroll down and join us on this ride and REMEMBER: IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE PICTURES BIGGER, JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE.
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It was a great day to ride. We had a blue sky, sun was shining bright and the temperature was 82 degrees at 7:30 a.m. The high today was forecasted to be 110-112 degrees this afternoon and that's why we made the early run to Ryan Oklahoma, so we could get back to Texas before it got hot.
I make a quick stop in Byers Texas and meet up with TATU. He is gonna ride up to Bandit's with me. BANDIT is the President of the RED RIVER CHAPTER-GUARDIANS OF THE CHILDREN, TATU is the NATIONAL REP for the RED RIVER CHAPTER-GUARDIANS OF THE CHILDREN and I am just a lowly member of the RED RIVER CHAPTER-GUARDIANS OF THE CHILDREN.
We leave TATU's house and stop by the gas station as TATU needs to top off his gas tank. Here he is at the pumps.
As I was getting off my bike, I guess I accidentally hit the shutter on my camera and got this picture,. I thought it was unusual, so I didn't delete it.
Both of our Harley's at the gas station in Byers Texas
We pull out of the gas station and head North up TX79. Here is TATU rolling North.
Another of TATU heading North up TX79.
TATU is enjoying the nice cool temperatures and smooth ride as he indicates with a thumbs up.
As we enter Ryan Oklahoma, I get a picture of this wooden sign as we enter the city limits. This is at the city limits if you are South bound on OK81
I park the Harley at the entrance to the shop as BANDIT gathers up the tools he will need for today's work.
First up are the handlebar bearings. My handlebars were moving back & forth approx. 3" and BANDIT was going to replace the rubber bushings with the red polyurethane bushings
One of the many bikes waiting to be serviced by BANDIT. BANDIT is very popular and well known throughout the area and he works on a lot of area bikes.
Here BANDIT is working on getting the right bushing free from it's location on the right side.
TATU is in a good mood today as he helps BANDIT with the change outs. My job is to be quiet, observe and take pictures. I do get to ask questions if they are doing something I need to know about.
BANDIT gets the right bushing removed.
TATU gives BANDIT the bushing already oiled and put on the sleeve.
The right side finished, BANDIT repeats the procedure on the left side.
The handlebar bushing finished, BANDIT moves on to the front brake. Here he has it removed from the disc.
As BANDIT looks for another tool to use, I take a picture of two of the other Harley's he is in the process of servicing.
Bandit removing the old brake pads.
It was getting hot fast and TATU sheds his colors and puts them on the luggage rack of my Harley..
TATU shows the two brake pads. The an one is the new pad while the black one is the old pad.
Now a side view. I am embarrassed to learn that the brake pad taken off has little to no brake pad left..
TATU looks on as BANDIT replaces the pads back into the housing.
BANDIT makes some final adjustments and reattaches the front brakes to the disc.
Next and the final job on my bike today is getting a new front tire. Here my bike is partially raised. We are now looking for a small shop jack to raise the front of the bike off the ground.
Here is the new tire that is going onto the bike. BANDIT prefers the Pirelli Routes because they are softer rubber than the Dunlop Harley Davidson tires and get better traction, in his honest opinion, of course. So, I said why not. I'd try it out and if I didn't like it, I'd go back to Dunlop's on my next tire change.
Her is BANDIT cranking the shop jack up so the front end will raise up and he can get the front tire off and the new tire on.
BANDIT removing the valve stem covers.
BANDIT back at his work bench looking for an item
The right hub removed so BANDIT could remove the axle.
As TATU cranks the shop jack up, BANDIT gets the front tire off.
Almost every motorcycle shop I have been to has either a dog or dogs or a cat or two running around. Here is one of BANDIT'S shop cats. This one is meowing because he wants his ears scratched. So, I oblige him.
BANDIT breaking down the old tire from the rim.
It is by now, very hot out and I shed my colors and hang them on the gate to the shop.
TATU shows the difference between my old tire with little tread left as opposed to the new tire.
BANDIT and TATU working on getting the old tire and tube off the wheel
This is the air tank in BANDIT'S shop.
The old tire off and the new tire & tube on.
TATU has to leave and head back to TEXAS and get ready for work. I walk him to his bike. I love the art work on his bike. Here he stows his colors in the saddlebag as it is close to if not over 110 degrees and a leather vest would be too ho to wear..
TATU'S bike with the great color scheme..
This is BANDIT'S Harley, parked out front.
Another picture of BANDIT's Harley. This will be the final picture for today's post. When I got back to the shop, BANDIT had the front tire back on my bike. I talked for a few minutes, put my colors in my saddlebag, thanked and said goodbye to BANDIT and Set out for TEXAS and home.
It waS good to see BANDIT today and, as always,good to see and ride with TATU. I look forward to our next ride, whenever it occurs and where ever it takes us.
Scroll down for more rides, runs and events and don't forget to click on the "OLDER POSTS" at bottom of each page or underneath the last post on the page,
Continue to pray for ALL of our troops both in and out of Harms Way; especially for Che Whitaker, Chris Drage and Fred Hughes, all of whom are serving in the Afghanistan Theatre of Operations and for Pattie Jackson who has been deployed to Qatar..
Until next post, ya'll be careful out there, keep the rubber on the road, keep your head on a swivel, and most importantly of all.............................RIDE SAFE.......................JOHN
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